Goodspeed Musicals' Festival of New Artists

Photography by Diane Sobolewski
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Festival Story:

Created in 2002, Goodspeed’s Showalter Center inspires and nurtures musical theatre artists and students by providing a unique and comprehensive range of training and educational programs to serve both the national and local academic communities. One of the Showalter Center’s major endeavors is The New Artists program. It offers new and emerging artists the rare opportunity to thoroughly work on their projects with the help of Goodspeed’s renowned resources and artistic environment, while affording senior students from The Hartt School real-world experience in new musical development and performing new musicals. The Hartt School, founded in 1920 and one of three founding institutions of the University of Hartford (Conn.), is an internationally acclaimed conservatory with innovative programs in music, dance and theatre.

Festival Events:

Programming 2013:

• Friday, January 18
  
  • NINE WIVES 7:30pm, Goodspeed Opera House
    Music & Lyrics by Douglas J. Cohen
    Book & Lyrics by Dan Elish
    Based on the novel, “Nine Wives” by Dan Elish
    Nine Wives tells the story of Henry Mann, a 32-year-old bachelor who discovers that the love of his life has met someone new and is about to get married. What’s worse, he’s been invited to her wedding! What follows are Henry’s frantic attempts to find a woman he can take as his date – a potential future wife – to prove to his ex-fiancée (and the world) that he too is ready to move on.
  • Festival Cabaret
    10:00pm, Gelston House
    Showcasing new songs by new artists.
• Saturday, January 19
  • Festival Seminars
    10:00pm - 12:45pm, Gelston House
  • New Musical Preview
    2:30pm – 3:30pm, Goodspeed Opera House
    A preview of a new musical headed to Goodspeed’s Norma Terris Theatre in 2013.
  • Noël Coward Symposium
    4:00pm, Goodspeed Opera House (This event is free and open to the public).
  • Festival Dinner
    5:30pm, Gelston House
    Enjoy a three course meal with fellow festival goers.
  • COME FROM AWAY
    7:30pm, Goodspeed Opera House
    Book, Music and Lyrics by David Hein and Irene Sankoff
    Come From Away is a rocking musical about when 38 planes from around the world were diverted to a small, Canadian community on September 11th, 2001 - doubling its population in an instant. While the world witnessed the worst acts of humankind, the stranded passengers had their faith in humanity restored by the spirited people who comforted those who had come from away.
  • Festival Cabaret
    10:00pm, Gelston House
• Sunday, January 20
  
  • PRINCESSES: a new rock musical
    1:00pm, Goodspeed Opera House
    Book by Janece Shaffer, Emma Lively and Tyler Beattie
    Music and Lyrics by Emma Lively and Tyler Beattie
    Four outrageous princesses escape the confines of their castle walls and shock the fairy tale world with their unconventional ways. Princesses is inspired by the Brothers Grimm’s “The Twelve Dancing Princesses” and features a contemporary rock score.
  • Meet the Writers Reception
    3:30pm, Gelston House
    Gain insight into the inspirations and processes of the writers. Complimentary hors d’oeuvres and cash bar.

Other Sources:

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Podcast Interviews:

• If you like this festival — listen to…
  
  • Ruth Margraff, performance artist
    http://kadmusarts.com/blog/?p=300

Blogs:

• Goodspeed Festival of New Artists Features Three New Musicals, by Frank Rizzo (Courant, December 4, 2010
  http://blogs.courant.com/curtain/2010/12/goodspeed-festival-of-new-arti.html

Articles:

• Goodspeed to offer musical trio, Teen-centric productions set for festival, by Frank Rizzo (Variety, December 29, 2008)
  http://kadmusarts.com/festivalnews/?p=8184

Practical Info:

Tickets:

• By phone
  +01 860-873-8668

Do you have an update or more information about this festival? Email us at updates@kadmusarts.com
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